Sarma's Cilantro Shake Variation

I saw this drink that Sarma posted on www.welikeitraw.com. I have been craving it since I saw it. I had most of the ingredients earlier in the week but no Cilantro. This morning I had the Cilantro but ran out of the other ingredients so I blended this up instead. Yum!


Tools: Blender
Serving Size: 1 person



1 apple: my favorite is Fuji (always crisp, firm, not overly sweet or mealy).
One bad apple ruins the bunch. I would not suggest Gala or Red Delicious.
1/2 a cucumber
1/4 cup of Lemon Juice
3/4 cup of Water (Use a Grapefruit or Oranges if you have it.)
A big Handful of Fresh Cilantro
1 teaspoon of grated ginger or 1/2 inch ginger chunk.
Sweetener to taste (optional)

Cut up the apple and cucumber if your blender is weak like mine. Add all the ingredients and blend. I did not add sweetener because the apple was sweet enough for me and I did not have to sweeten tart citrus fruit in addition to the bit of Lemon Juice used.

Carmelized Onions

Tools: Knife
Serving Size: Many
Ingredients:
1 Onion
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons of Tamari or Bragg's
1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt

Slice onions as thin as you can. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and marinate for 2-4 hours. Toss occasionally to marinate onions evenly. Cover and store in the fridge for up to week. Use regularly to garnish and top dishes.

Kale With Tomato Masala

Tools: Blender
Serving Size: 2 people or 1 really hungry person.






1 bunch of Kale
1 teaspoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
1 Tomato
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tablespoon of Gram Masala
1/4 cup of olive oil.
Caramelized Onions to taste

Tear kale into pieces and place in a large bowl. Add salt and massage kale till it starts to wilt. Add lemon juice and continue to massage until kale has reduced in size by half. Blend the tomatoes, garlic, gram masala, and olive oil in a blender to create the dressing. Pour on wilted kale and top with Caramelized Onions. I like a lot of onions with this.

Squash Pasta with Pesto

I'm constantly amazed how satisfying this dish is. Considering I was never crazy about traditional pasta.

Tools: Vegetable Julienne Tool or Spiral Tool, Food Prosscesor
Serving Size: 2 people
Ingredients:
Pasta:
1 large summer squash (zucchini or yellow crookneck)

Basic Pesto:
1/2 cup nuts: I like either walnut, pine nut, or almond.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh herb: basil, cilantro, I use spinach leaves in a pinch.
1 teaspoon of Salt


Pumpkin Seed Sage Pesto:
This pesto use to accompany boiled pumpkin/tofu ravioli's, still working on the ravioli.
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh sage
1 teaspoon of salt

Julienne or spiral squash into long strands and set aside. Add all Pesto ingredients to the food processor and blend into a chunky paste (store leftover pesto for up to a week). Toss squash pasta with pesto and enjoy. Add extras to the dish like tomatoes, olives, red peppers, mushrooms, etc.

Zucchini Hummus

Hummus is always a staple for me. I am so pleased with this raw version. I eat it with raw veggies and apples or on raw bread and in sandwiches or salads.

Tools: Food Processor with S blade, Vegetable Peeler
Serving Size: About 1 cup


1 large zucchini in summer or 2 small zucchini in winter (at least in PA)
1/2 cup Tahini
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Large Garlic Clove
Sprinkle of Paprika

Peel the zucchini until all the green skin is removed. This is very important! Not peeling the zucchini will make it chunky and green, not like hummus at all. Slice peeled zucchini into smaller pieces. Combine all ingredients except Paprika into food processor and blend until creamy and thick. If not desired consistency add a little bit of water while blending. Serve in a bowl or store Zucchini Hummus in a plastic container (I re-use a plastic store bought large hummus container) and sprinkle with paprika. Great garnishes or hummus variations can include other fresh or dried herbs, sun dried tomatoes, red peppers, a drizzle of olive oil, olives, or pine nuts.

Nuts About Granola Base

Tools: Food Processor and Dehydrator or Oven (not raw)
Serving Size: Many
Ingredients:





1 Cup Nuts: Almond, Walnut or try 1/2 cup of both
1 Cup Seeds: Pumpkin, Sunflower Seeds, I definitely use 1/2 cup of both
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup or preferred liquid sweetner
1 Tablespoon of Spice or Spice Combo: Pumpkin Pie Spice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, etc.
2 Wax Paper or Teflex Sheets

Process 1 cup of Nuts in food processor until chunky. Pour chopped nuts into a large mixing bowl. Add rest of ingredients and mix until spice and syrup coat the nuts and seeds. Use Teflex sheets on dehydrator so nuts won't fall through or cut wax paper into round sheets with a hold in the middle to fit your dehydrator tray. Place nut mixture on sheets and dry until crispy, about 2 hours. Rotate trays and periodically (every 30 minutes) stir mixture to ensure even drying. Or, spread on a baking sheet and bake for an hour on the lowest setting. Stir the mixture every 15 minutes to toast evenly. Store this mixture in an air tight container. When ready to use as a granola cereal cut up some fresh fruit, add dry fruit, even some sprouted grains, oats, with almond milk. I sometimes sprinkle this mix on top of my Ice Fruit Cream and Smoothies.

Raw Chocolate Bar

Tools: Food Processor
Serving Size: one large candy bar
Ingredients:





1 Cup Powdered Cocoa or Carob
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Nut or Seed: like Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Sunflower, Pine Nut
Sweetener to Taste: Stevia, Maple Syrup, Agave, Honey, Dried then Soaked Fruit.
1/4 Cup Coconut Milk or Almond Milk to make Milk Chocolate
Optional: Wax Paper Liner, this really helps keep your chocolate in bar form.

Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend until a smooth gooey batter. Line a small shallow lipped container/glass dish or bowl with wax paper. Scrap batter with a spatula and pour in the wax lined container, the batter should fill the container a 1/4"-1/2" high. Smooth and spread the batter evenly with the spatula. Set in the fridge and allow to chill until completely firm. It should be able to break off in chunks, flakes, or shaved. Store in the fridge, it will keep about a week or so if you don't eat it all first.

Raw Frozen Fruit Cream

Tools: Food Processor
Serving Size: 2 people
Ingredients:
2 frozen Bananas
1or 2 Tablespoons of Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
Variations: Vanilla Beans, Cocoa, Frozen Berries, Nuts, Nut Butters, and your creativity.

Cut or break frozen bananas into small pieces. Combine banana pieces, milk, and variation ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth and thick, the consistency of frozen yogurt. Enjoy immediately, this dessert does not store as well. If needed store in freezer and allow to thaw a bit before serving.

Make a Sundae with toppings such as: Nuts About Granola base, shredded coconut, raw syrups, fresh fruit.